My beard has just recently celebrated its second birthday. Truth be told, it's not the most impressive beard around. The bottom still doesn't properly connect to the moustache and the moustache grows considerably faster than the bottom. This means that after a week or so without a trim, I tend to resemble a rogue First World War fighter pilot or a hillbilly, neither look ranking particularly high on the style lists the last time I checked.
But I've become rather attached - and not just literally - to my facial companion, despite its slightly pathetic nature. And I've noticed that its arrival sparked some changes around me. For starters, I've been stopped at airports considerably more than BB (Before Beard). A memo must have done the rounds suggesting bearded types might well have something to declare, and as such, a bag inspection has become almost a routine part of international travel. Regardless of whether I'm sporting a suit and clutching a leather satchel (yes, that's right, I'm a leather satchel man these days), my hirsute chin pretty much guarantees a welcome of "this way sir".
Secondly, despite it being far from thick and exuberant, my beard attracts a lot of food. Rarely a day goes by without someone having to point out that half of my breakfast is still on my face, fixed by the magical powers of beardy Velcro. On the up side, it's handy when I need a quick snack.
I've also noticed that in the time I've had my beard, more people appear to be joining me in ditching the razor. I'm not suggesting that I'm a trendsetter (although I did start wearing combat trousers in the early 1990s before they hit the big time), it seems that my beardy beginnings have coincided with a boom time for hairy faces. Unfortunately, everyone else's are far superior to mine and I hear comments such as "yeah, John's is much better".
To be honest, I only stopped shaving as a knee-jerk reaction to stepping out of the nine-to-five rat race. It seemed like the obvious thing to do. Go freelance: grow a beard. Now back in the realms of full-time work, perhaps it's time to dust off the Mach 5 and see what my chin looks like. Who knows what's lurking beneath?
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
Building boom turning to bust as Turkey's economy slows
Deep in a provincial region of northwestern Turkey, it looks like a mirage - hundreds of luxury houses built in neat rows, their pointed towers somewhere between French chateau and Disney castle.
Meant to provide luxurious accommodations for foreign buyers, the houses are however standing empty in what is anything but a fairytale for their investors.
The ambitious development has been hit by regional turmoil as well as the slump in the Turkish construction industry - a key sector - as the country's economy heads towards what could be a hard landing in an intensifying downturn.
After a long period of solid growth, Turkey's economy contracted 1.1 per cent in the third quarter, and many economists expect it will enter into recession this year.
The country has been hit by high inflation and a currency crisis in August. The lira lost 28 per cent of its value against the dollar in 2018 and markets are still unconvinced by the readiness of the government under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to tackle underlying economic issues.
The villas close to the town centre of Mudurnu in the Bolu region are intended to resemble European architecture and are part of the Sarot Group's Burj Al Babas project.
But the development of 732 villas and a shopping centre - which began in 2014 - is now in limbo as Sarot Group has sought bankruptcy protection.
It is one of hundreds of Turkish companies that have done so as they seek cover from creditors and to restructure their debts.
Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
